News

Paymob Partners With Tamara For Seamless BNPL Payments

The partnership is designed to fuel the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises across the MENA region.

Published

3 years ago

January 9, 2024

Nour Nasir

Paymob

Leading MENA financial services enabler, Paymob has announced a new partnership with Tamara, the GCC region’s premier shopping and payments platform.

The strategic venture integrates Tamara’s Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service with Paymob’s secure payment gateway, allowing customers to split payments without hidden fees or interest. Paymob’s infrastructure is already used by 250,000 merchants across the MENA region and Pakistan, while Tamara boasts over nine million registered users and 30,000+ merchants.

Although the two companies already have partnerships with some of the region’s best-known brands, the new agreement is designed to fuel the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises. With Tamara’s BNPL solution, merchants typically improve conversions by 15% and gain a 40% increase in average order value. In addition, the likelihood of a customer making repeat purchases climbs by 50%.

The integration of Tamara’s BNPL solution to Paymob’s eCommerce gateway works via a simple software upgrade. The service will initially roll out to merchants in the KSA and UAE in its first phase, with more countries added in future stages.

Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob explained that “[the] partnership with Tamara delivers on Paymob’s mission to fuel SME growth in the digital economy. There is a massive opportunity to enable merchants in the GCC to capitalize on the power of alternative payment methods, and we are thrilled to partner with Tamara to fuel this growth in MENA”.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

Turki Bin Zarah, Co-founder and CCO of Tamara, added, “This partnership with Paymob provides seamless access to Tamara’s services to thousands of SMEs to enable their growth across the region. As a leading commerce enabler, we are revolutionizing how people shop, pay, and bank and are thrilled to partner with Paymob as we deliver on this goal”.

Tamara and Paymob are currently experiencing rapid growth after recent funding rounds. Riyadh-based Tamara secured a $150 million investment from Goldman Sachs, while Paymob’s growth has been driven by funding from PayPal Ventures.

News

Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Built on 5G Standalone and 5G Advanced, the upgrade lays the groundwork for Qatar’s 2030 digital ambitions.

Published

12 hours ago

October 16, 2026

Dana Saadeh

ooredoo qatar's 5g+ network is built for machines as much as people

Ooredoo Qatar has launched what it calls the country’s first 5G+ mobile network. Customers get faster connections, but much of what the operator is promising is aimed at machines.

5G+ isn’t a new generation of mobile technology so much as a layering of upgrades, building on 5G Standalone and 5G Advanced. The result is the familiar trio of higher speeds, greater capacity and lower latency.

For consumers, Ooredoo promises smoother streaming, more responsive gaming and steadier connections on the move. The service is commercially available through mobile broadband in 5G+ coverage areas, and the operator is aiming it at campers during the camping season. The network has been deployed at locations across Qatar, but the announcement doesn’t name them, say whether smartphone plans are included or put figures on the speed and latency gains.

The business case is more detailed: Greater capacity lets more devices connect and exchange data efficiently, while shorter response times support real-time equipment monitoring and automated processes. Network slicing tailors connectivity to specific uses, and 5G Advanced combined with edge computing targets mission-critical applications that require rapid responses. Expanded IoT capabilities cover industrial sensors, asset trackers and utility meters, the building blocks for automation and future smart city services. The company also cites AI-enabled services and complex digital workloads.

Also Read: WHOOP Goes Arabic, Betting On The Gulf’s Appetite For Health Data

“With the 5G+ network, we are enhancing everyday digital experiences for our consumers, enabling innovation, and strengthening the competitiveness of businesses across the country,” said Sheikh Ali bin Jabor bin Mohammad Al Thani, chief executive officer of Ooredoo Qatar.

“From launching the world’s first 5G network in 2018 to deploying Qatar’s first 5G Standalone core network, we have consistently advanced connectivity,” he added.

Ooredoo ties the rollout to Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Digital Agenda 2030, framing it as part of the country’s effort to strengthen its position as a leading regional digital hub. For that ambition, the devices that matter most may be the ones without screens.